COVER STORY

demonstrating care for the natural world that is so
intrinsic to its customers’ lives. In terms of design, the
company sought to highlight its identity.

“From photos featuring local pet lovers and their
pups, to a topography map of the Durango mountain
area that serves as the bags’ background, every detail
of the new design is authentic and further reflects the
brand’s outdoor lifestyle and ties to its headquarters in
Durango, Colo.,” Rizzo says.

Lifestyle brands also offer retailers a unique selling
point when talking to customers in their stores.
Companies with this branding approach usually have a
unique story to tell about where they and their products
came from, both in a literal and more figurative sense,
which can be a powerful tool for making a sale.

“This idea of provenance, of knowing where stuffcomes from, it’s becoming more important than ever,”Smith says. “These lifestyle brands have stories thatare memorable and easy to repeat. They can tell astory about where the product comes from.”For P.L.A. Y., having that story and identity is essentialto the success of the business. It’s that authenticity andpassion for their missions that allows lifestyle brandsto make connections and build customer loyalty in away many traditional large companies can’t.

“A consumer brand can just be a company thatmakes and sells products, or one that builds a loyalcommunity of followers around them, inspires them,puts a smile on their face and elevates the consumerexperience,” Chen says. “It is important because itis what makes our company unique, successful andsustainable, armed with a strong brand identity thatdoesn’t fade with trends.”For a true lifestyle brand, it’s not about pleasingevery single consumer in the market—it’s aboutserving its community. Nulo takes this philosophy toheart, which is apparent in its new marketing campaign,titled “We Decide.” Rather than focusing on tellingconsumers that Nulo is the best food for everyone,the advertisements and marketing materials aim toempower pet owners to make informed choices aboutwhat they feed their pets.

“Rather than telling people what they should buy, our
goal is to inspire them to make their own decisions,”
Landa says. “By inspiring people to turn the bag around
and look at what’s inside, we know we’ll win.” PB

on its packaging designs. “By adding that tag detail, we let consumers know that
they’re contributing to a company with values that include an active commitment to
progressive, sustainable business practices,” Chen says.

Zuke’s recently undertook an extensive packaging redesign to better reflect the
values of its lifestyle brand, both in style and substance. The company found ways
to adjust the materials and size of the packaging to reduce its environmental impact,